


like the ones I used to know

by twinOrigins



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Character Study?, Christmas, Fluff, Gen, Introspection, M/M, Wrapping Gifts, could be platonic or romantic u decide, idk if this counts tho it’s so short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 19:59:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12919194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twinOrigins/pseuds/twinOrigins
Summary: He had the means to show Bucky what he meant to him through a material gift, and he was going to do the whole nine yards.





	like the ones I used to know

**Author's Note:**

> Title from White Christmas 
> 
> Written for day four! Prompts were candy canes & shopping for and/or wrapping gifts

Steve usually tried his best not to catalogue the difference between _his_  time and the present. Too much lay down that road, and nothing good would come of it.

Christmas was the exception. This was going to be his first Christmas in the new world _with_  Bucky, and it had him feeling incredibly nostalgic. The differences between the Christmas he knew and the way it was celebrated now were innumerable.

Tony had, of course, decked out the tower as much as possible, and was probably planning on buying everyone in New York a car or something equally outlandish just for the hell of it. Steve had money now, but he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to spending it. He didn't like buying things--especially for himself--if he didn't feel he'd earned it, _worked_  for it.

He was planning on getting all of his teammates a gift to make sure no one felt left out or forgotten, but the one he already had purchased and was halfway done wrapping was Bucky's. He'd only gotten him a few simple items, things he'd mentioned liking in passing. But Steve was happy he could provide now, was no longer the one always being taken care of.

He had the means to show Bucky what he meant to him through a material gift, and he was going to do the whole nine yards. Which led him to staring at wrapping paper and bows and twine and tape and other decorative things with a very perplexed and overwhelmed expression. He was used to things being wrapped in newspaper scraps, old shopping bags.

He remembered one Christmas in particular where Bucky had come to him all excited, face shining like a sunrise. Steve had been stuck in bed that year, a cold from the weather tipping into something a little more serious. But Bucky hadn't minded, sidling up to him on his lumpy mattress and pushing a messy ball of newspaper into his hands.

“Buck?”

“Jus’ open it.”

He stared at him for another minute, but carefully untucked the edges of the paper.

“C’mon, faster.”

Steve gave him a contemptuous glare. He wasn’t sure it was as effective when he was bed ridden. “I’m doing it how I want.” He went a little faster, though, going just slow enough that he didn’t tear it.

He gave a small gasp. Inside, Bucky had stuffed and packed _art supplies_ , more than Steve had _ever_  had, much less at one time. He looked up, eyes shining. “Buck, how...?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, gave a half shrug. “Been savin’ up. Wanted you to have something good for Christmas and all.”

Steve had flung his arms around his neck, giving him such an enthusiastic hug he’d launched into a coughing fit.

He’d kept the paper for years, moving it with him when he’d head somewhere new. It had gotten lost during the war. He wished he still had it, but he didn’t need it when he had the memory fresh in his mind.

He finally gave up on trying on his own and texted Darcy, happy she replied quickly. He needed this done before Bucky came back. He was halfway through it—only having gotten tangled in tape once—when she messaged him again, suggesting he arrange two candy canes into a heart on top of the package.

It was a bit sappy for them, but...he looked over to the tree where a handful of candy canes were sprinkled on the branches, accompanied by popcorn strings he’d made himself.

Ah, what the hell. It was Christmas. He smiled to himself, planning to add them and text a picture of it to Darcy when he finished.


End file.
